What is Galapagos Coffee

El Junco Lagoon is a place you probably have never heard of, yet its existence is the reason for Galapagos Coffee. El Junco is the Galapagos Island's only permanent fresh water lake. It's located on the island of San Cristobal at an elevation just over 2000 feet, in the belly of a collapsed volcanic crater. The lake itself is a tourist attraction. Visitors come to see the lake with its surrounding lush endemic plants and the many species of birds that come here to bathe in its sweet waters.

What does this have to do with coffee? It's part of a combination that makes it possible to grow coffee here. The fresh waters from El Junco, the nutrient rich soils from the extinct volcano, and the surrounding micro climate combine together to create unique agricultural zone located within these pristine islands and an ideal place to grow everything from avocados, to oranges and guavas and even coffee.

The history of Coffee in Galapagos dates back to 1879, when Manuel Cobos (the so-called Emperor of Galapagos) established Hacienda El Progresso in the highlands of San Cristobal Island. His hacienda was little more than a prison camp; he set up so he could take advantage of free inmate labor to harvest sugar cane and process the meat from turtles and feral cattle. His works included building a railroad (using the same labor), a fishing endeavor, extension farming, the creation of his own currency and in a section of the Hacienda called El Cafetel, Cobos planted robost arabica bourbon beans and Galapagos Coffee began. Cobos' Galapagos empire lasted until 1904 when his workers tired of his Machiavellian ways and finally revolted and killed the tyrant. The prisoners left the islands El Cafetel was abandonded and and the hacienda stood in ruins for almost 100 years.

During the 1990's the Gonzales family purchased the land and realized that though the coffee plants had been ignored over all these years they continued to thrive. To the family's delight they found when the beans were collected, dried and processed they produced a medium bodied coffee with a sweet caramel aroma, slight citrus taste with layers of leather and tobacco. As a result the Hacienda was revived and Galapagos Coffee was reborn.

Today with the support of the local community certified organic Galapagos Coffee is available at specialty coffee shops around the world. And for those of you lucky enough to be visiting the Galapagos we suggest a including a day in the San Cristobal Highlands where you can visit the tortoise preserve to see the famed Galapagos Tortoises in the wild, visit El Junco Lagoon, and by special arrangement enjoy delicious lunch at the El Progresso Hacienda and try a cup of their special coffee.